1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color image sensing apparatus, and a method of processing an infrared-ray signal.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A conventional color image sensing apparatus needs a color filter array, an image sensor, an image signal processor, and an infrared-ray (IR) blocking filter. This is because a red-pass filter, a green-pass filter and a blue-pass filter, which are included in the color filter array, pass red light, green light and blue light, respectively, and also pass infrared-rays having a wavelength of 700 nm. Spectral responses of the red-, green- and blue-pass filters are shown in FIG. 1. The IR blocking filter may be separately realized outside an image sensor chip, or realized by stacking a nitride layer and an oxide layer on a photodiode several times to prevent infiltration of the IR, as described in Korean Patent Publication No. 2002-17853 entitled “Image Sensor having Infrared-Ray Filter in Chip”. However, the IR blocking filter has a disadvantage in that it greatly increases production costs for a color image sensing apparatus in any type of technology that it is used in.